Official Launch of Canada 150 - Hamilton 2017 Celebrations

HAMILTON, ON - May 25, 2017 - This year, Hamilton joins cities across the country to celebrate Canada’s 150th year as a nation. Five Signature Events have been identified that align to the underlying themes of this national milestone: Reflect, Celebrate, Imagine.

“This important anniversary offers us all a chance to reflect on our city’s contributions to the growth of our nation – from our proud industrial roots to the exciting revitalization transforming our city. It’s also a chance to imagine the kind of city we want to build moving forward.” - Fred Eisenberger, Mayor, City of Hamilton

For complete details and times, visit the individual websites listed under each event.

Dundurn's Golden Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, June 17
www.hamilton.ca/dundurn

• Join us as we celebrate Dundurn’s 50th anniversary as a historic house and museum.
• The City of Hamilton has operated Dundurn for over 100 years – on Saturday, June 17, 1967 the museum officially reopened its doors to a crowd of more than 3,000 people to celebrate the newly restored “Castle”.
• The public are invited to engage in special tours of newly restored rooms and the historic Kitchen Garden, view the rarely seen Cockpit building, and participate in hands-on activities.
• Throughout the day, guests can enjoy music, artistic performances, crafts and games which were popular in MacNab’s time and in the 1960s when the museum first opened.

Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta

Friday, June 30 to Saturday, July 1
hamilton.ca/tallships

• Hamilton’s Waterfront will come alive starting with the Tall Ships Parade of Sail on June 30 – this must-see spectacle will see 11 vessels navigate around the Harbour in single file before docking at Pier 8.
• Prominent vantage points to watch the parade include Pier 8, Bayfront & Pier 4 Parks, York Boulevard Bridge, Burlington Canal and Fisherman’s Pier, Eastport Drive, and LaSalle and Bayshore Parks in Burlington.
• The tall ships will also offer free deck tours and Harbour Cruises onboard the Empire Sandy.
• In addition, visitors will enjoy family-friendly and nautical-themed activities and music on the Waterfront Stage.
• The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Avro Lancaster will also conduct multiple fly-overs of the Waterfront.
• Tickets for Harbour Cruises on the Empire Sandy will be available for on-line purchase on June 1. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for persons aged 2 to 17.
• This Hamilton port event is funded by the City of Hamilton and produced in partnership with the Hamilton Waterfront Trust and the Hamilton Port Authority.
• The multi-port Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta is organized by Sail Training International and the Rendez-vous naval de Québec, in collaboration with Canadian Heritage.

Canada 150 Day

Saturday, July 1
hamilton.ca/canada150day

• Come down to Bayfront and Pier 4 Parks to celebrate Canada 150 Day.
• Enjoy family-friendly fun and spectacular live music performances, presented by RBC, featuring Canadian artists Jully Black, Steve Strongman and Sarah Slean.
• The celebration will conclude with a dazzling fireworks finale, set to an orchestral arrangement performed live by Maestro Boris Brott and the National Academy Orchestra of Canada.
• The City of Hamilton gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage in presenting Celebrate Canada 150 Day.

Air Force Day - Past, Present & Future at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

Saturday, July 8
www.warplane.com

• Meet current members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, see their aircraft up close on the ground and learn the many roles performed by Canada’s air force today
• From helicopters, trainers and transports to the CF-18 Hornet and Vimy Flight biplanes, plus the collection of vintage military aircraft from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, visitors will have a chance to view over 60 aircraft
• Weather date: Sunday July 9, 2017

Peace by Piece: Stitching Together Canadian Stories

July 10 to August 16
theheartofontario.com

• The Heart of Ontario is hosting this event, featuring the Quilt of Belonging, in partnership with The Cotton Factory, Hamilton’s creative arts centre
• The Quilt of Belonging is a textile art project spanning 120 feet. It is comprised of 263 blocks, each created to recognize Canada’s diversity. It celebrates our common humanity and promotes compassion among people
• This exhibition includes family-friendly programming engaging museums, artists, craftsmen and musicians from across the Hamilton, Halton, Brant region
• Exhibit admission is free; weekend workshops and concerts are ticketed; please see the website for prices
• This event is sponsored by The Cotton Factory and Marz Homes

The Great Hamilton Scavenger Hunt

Presented by Wesley Urban Ministries

This is a new app-based adventure that will see people of all ages exploring our diverse city and 150 of its landmarks, festivals, events and quintessential Hamilton, Canadian and summer experiences
Participants will use the app to acquire points at 150 locations or activities, starting June 9 with Art Crawl and ending September 2017 with Supercrawl.

“Hamilton is proud to celebrate our nation's 150th anniversary along with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. People from around the world have made Hamilton their home and like Canada that diversity is one of our greatest strengths.” - MP Bob Bratina, on behalf of the Government of Canada

“Canada’s 150th gives us a great reason to reflect, celebrate and imagine with some incredible local programming. There will be something for everyone. The City of Hamilton is thrilled to bring unique experiences to residents and visitors this year, in addition to supporting other community-led events.” - Anna Bradford, Director, Tourism and Culture Division, City of Hamilton

Additional resources

• Canada 150-Hamilton 2017
• Official Canada 150 website (Government of Canada)